'Horrible ordeal': Girl, 5, crushed by horse at home

UPDATE: A five-year-old has been crushed by a horse on the family farm, receiving "very serious injuries" according to the paramedics who rushed to airlift her.

The five-year-old is the third person injured in a fall from a horse and transported to hospital by the Mackay-based rescue helicopter in just seven days.

RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked about 11.30am after the child fell from the horse she was riding which landed on top of her at the family's property at Orkabie, about 88km south of Mackay.

The rescue helicopter, with a doctor and Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) on board, flew south and landed in the middle of the sports field at nearby Carmila to meet the waiting ambulance which had transferred the seriously injured girl from the family property.

Rescue crewman Arno Schoonwinkel said as a result of being crushed by large animal, the little girl suffered internal bleeding in her abdomen and a possible ruptured liver and spleen and required urgent hospitalisation and surgery. The child was accompanied by her father on the short 20-minute flight to Mackay Base Hospital, he said.

"She was really incredibly brave although in a lot of pain," Mr Schoonwinkel said.

RACQ CQ Rescue has landed on a sports field at Carmila today to airlift a five-year-old girl seriously injured when crushed by a horse on her family's property.RACQ CQ Rescue

"Despite such a horrible ordeal she was very calm on the helicopter which arrived at Mackay Base Hospital about 1.20pm. Having her dad there with her would certainly have helped," Mr Schoonwinkel said.

Last Sunday, June 4, RACQ CQ Rescue transferred two patients from Collinsville who were both injured in separate horse falls. A 51-year-old Clermont man and later the same day, a 20-year-old woman were both airlifted by rescue helicopter to Mackay Base Hospital.

Today's mission was the sixth aeromedical transfer in five days for the crew of RACQ CQ Rescue, including one mission from to Townsville on Wednesday and others from Bowen, Collinsville and two from Proserpine back to Mackay.

INITIAL: A YOUNG girl has been rushed to hospital after falling from a horse.

The five-year-old girl was riding a horse at a private property at Gillinbin Creek. She fell off the horse, and soon after the horse fell on top of her.

The girl is believed to have suffered abdominal injuries.

The girls parents called 000 and drove her from the property to the Bruce Highway where they were met by paramedics, about six kilometres north of Carmila.

The RACQ CQ Helicopter went there and the girl is believed to have been taken to the Mackay Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition.